Summary and Overview of Standards and Procedures for Evaluation Contracting.

Wright, William J.; Worthen, Blaine R.

The basic thesis of the larger paper from which this condensation is drawn is that the use of evaluation contracts is advisable when evaluations are to be conducted by persons external to the institution responsible for the program to be evaluated (or, in larger institutions such as large universities, by persons external to the unit or department responsible for the program). The rationale presented in the later sections has led the authors to propose a set of criteria to assist administrators and evaluators as they think about whether to set up an evaluation contract and, if so, how to go about it. These criteria are summarized in this paper in the form of a checklist. The checklist contains seven sub-sections which deal respectively with the following types of criteria: (1) Criteria for determining when to conduct an evaluation; (2) Criteria for determining whether to contract with an external contractor; (3) Criteria to consider when selecting an evaluator; (4) Criteria for selecting among procedural options for letting a contract; (5) Criteria to consider when using a Request for Proposals; (6) Criteria for use in negotiating the contract; and (7) Criteria for use in monitoring the contract. Different sections of the checklist will be useful to different individuals and groups for different purposes. A flowchart, in which the major points of the checklist are translated into a pictorial sequence of events and decisions is also included. (DEP)